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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23166193">Ode to Life and Death</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shirosu/pseuds/Shirosu'>Shirosu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>...kinda??, Found Family, Immortal Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier is blessed by Life and Death, Life and Death are Jaskier's second parents, M/M, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Somewhat Demi-human Jaskier, bamf!Jaskier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:56:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23166193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shirosu/pseuds/Shirosu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jaskier is blessed by Lady Life and Lord Death.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>166</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <span>I. Favored Childe </span>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"...I give you the blessing of the Comfort of Near-Death..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"...I bless you with Empathy for all... and the ability of Understanding..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"...We give you... our blessing..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Our Little Dandelion..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"We will always be with you..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ever since Jaskier was a young lad, he was told by everyone that he was special. More special than anyone else. The marks in his skin was an indication, they said to him. He was more special than anyone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His family cared more for him than any of his siblings. His siblings loved him more than anyone. His people protected him more than anyone. Yet, he can </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> that they were envious of him as well. Their envy made his skin crawl. Yet their adoration made his whole mind feel dizzy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was complicated if Jaskier was, to be honest. He was just a young lad when he was told of this more </span>
  <em>
    <span>adult </span>
  </em>
  <span>stuff. He can comprehend but not at the same time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their words were the same. Their explanation was always similar once he asked </span>
  <em>
    <span>why. Why was he so special? Why was he so envied by many? Why was he adored by all? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was told that he was blessed by the Ancestors</span>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
  <span>themselves - Life and Death. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn't until he was at the age of 10 that he began to understand why he truly was special. After all, </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> told him. His </span>
  <em>
    <span>special companions</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His ancestors. Mother Life and Father Death.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was the <strong>Favored Childe</strong>.<br/><br/></span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span><br/>When men and women die in their kingdom, he was always there to bring comfort to them. Young. Old. Rich. Poor. None of their class matters to him. Whether they be a sinner or a saint, he was always there to be with them in their last moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was there to make things easier. To take the remaining pain away. To help them be at ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This tradition happened by accident. His grandfather was suffering from a deadly poison that he unfortunately drank. He was coughing up blood and bile. Medics and mages were there to heal him but to no avail. His grandfather cannot be healed by anything at all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His grandfather gave up as well. Opting to remain in bed until the rest of his life. On his last night, his body was trembling - not in fear but pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He only wished for him to die without any pain. He already accepted his death but his pain he cannot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Jaskier felt the need to comfort his grandfather. So he did what his instinct told him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bring him comfort</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaskier went near his grandfather and held his rough hands. His small hands caressed his grandfather's rough trembling hands as a sign of comfort.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Grandfather, be at ease. Do not worry anymore. Your pains will go away soon." Jaskier said with a caring smile on his face. His grandfather stared at his beloved grandson's smiling face and in an instant, he felt no more pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The old man cried and squeezed his grandson's hand. He was crying but the tears were not because of pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone noticed that the old man stopped trembling. His face was no longer contorted in a pained manner. Everything about him looked and feel at peace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Young Jaskier... you truly are... a gift... Thank you little Dandelion..." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The old man smiled one final time and took his last breath.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jaskier gets hurt but he will take it with stride.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>II. Price for Comfort</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ever since Jaskier's so-called tradition, he became even more loved by everyone. From those of the lower classes to the higher ones as well, they all seek him and his "blessed comfort."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While he was happy to be near people and being loved by them, he also didn't like their leering gazes. Their eyes looking at him as if he was an object rather than that of a human. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At first, he wasn't opposed to it. In his little mind, they were just being kind - or something similar to that. However, as time went on, Jaskier realized that this kind of attention was something that he greatly disliked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hated the fact that they treated him like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>god</span>
  </em>
  <span> of some kind. He hated them for using him as an object. He wasn't an object. He was Jaskier - a human just like them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Or maybe he wasn't? </span>
  </em>
  <span>All their talks about him being special taught him one thing - he wasn't like them. He wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But he didn't feel like it - didn't feel like he was different from them at all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tried his best to be just like them. But all of them seemed to never forget the fact that he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>blessed </span>
  </em>
  <span>by the Ancestors. So he ran with it. He might as well get used to this kind of treatment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It's better than being treated like trash</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But in the back of Jaskier's mind, he wanted to be treated normally. He wanted to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jaskier</span>
  </em>
  <span> rather than the Favored Childe. But he will take this with stride. He'll get used to it. It's a part of him now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But that doesn't mean he doesn't dislike being the Favored Childe. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's difficult being the Favored Childe. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>His comfort has a price. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Other than being treated differently, Jaskier also paid the price both physically and mentally. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Physically, giving the people the comfort that they desperately needed drains him. He can feel himself getting tired more often. Every time he gives them comfort, he can feel himself getting very weak. Last week, he was incredibly drained that he couldn't even hold his lute anymore.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yet the most antagonizing pain of all was the mental and emotional torture he has to endure. </span>
  <span>All the pain that they have, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he keeps</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He keeps all of it. Their agony, their sadness, their regret - all of the pain that they have are his to carry. His </span>
  <em>
    <span>burden</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He selfishly thought that he should </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Stop giving his young seven-year-old body this much torture. He was only a child, he should be allowed to be selfish for once.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However, seeing their faces. Seeing how much relief they feel once he took all of their sufferings was </span>
  <em>
    <span>rewarding </span>
  </em>
  <span>for Jaskier. It gave him the feeling of euphoria - a feeling of satisfaction that he did help. </span>
  <span>Their appreciation was his reward. Their smiles were his comfort. It felt good to help them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he will take it. He will take all of their pains and regrets and keep it with him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He will get used to it just like their treatment. He will take this burden with stride as well. He'll get used to this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even if the pain hurts his very soul. He will bury it with him. Even if this will kill him, he will have their pain. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for all your kudos! I'm so happy that you like this fanfic (Ｔ▽Ｔ)! Hopefully, you also like this as well.</p>
<p>Hope you all are alright! Stay safe everyone (´∀`)!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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